1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector with a metal housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional electrical connector with two USB (Universal Serial Bus) plugs and one network transmission plug (e.g., RJ45 plug) includes a plastic base 10 and a metal housing 20. The front end of the plastic base 10 is formed with, from bottom to top, two connection portions 11 and one connection portion 12. Multiple terminals 13 are disposed in the plastic base 10. The metal housing 20 is composed of a front housing 21 and a rear housing 22. The metal housing 20 covers the plastic base 10 with the connection portions 11 and 12 of the plastic base and the pin portions of the terminals 13 communicating with the outside. A front plate of the front housing 21 is formed with openings 23 and 24 in conjunction with the connection portions 11 and 12. The peripheries of the openings 23 and 24 are formed with grounding elastic pieces 25 extending toward the connection portions 11 and 12. Lower edges of two side plates are integrally formed with grounding elements 26 and plate-engaging elements 27 extending downward. The plate-engaging elements 27 are first bent toward the middle of the bottom surface of the plastic base 10 and then bent downward in order to match with engaging holes of a circuit board.
According to the above-mentioned structure, the two connection portions 11 may be connected to two USB plugs, the connection portion 12 can be connected to one RJ45 plug, the grounding elastic piece 25 may elastically contact the inserted USB plugs or RJ45 plug, the grounding elements 26 may be inserted into grounding holes on the circuit board in advance, and then the plate-engaging elements 27 engage with the engagement holes on the circuit board.
However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following drawbacks.
First, because the lower edges of two sides of the front housing of the metal housing 20 are integrally formed with the grounding elements 26 and the plate-engaging elements 27, the plate-engaging elements 27 must have the proper intensity such that the plate-engaging elements 27 can engage with the circuit board firmly. Thus, the metal housing 20 cannot be made with a thinner plate, or otherwise the plate-engaging element 27 has the insufficient intensity, and the material cannot be saved.
Second, because the lower edges of two sides of the front housing of the metal housing 20 are integrally formed with the grounding elements 26 and the plate-engaging elements 27 by way of pressing, the front housing 21 must be formed by pressing a longer plate into the grounding elements 26 and the plate-engaging elements 27. In particularly, because the plate-engaging element 27 has to be bent toward the middle of the bottom surface of the plastic base and then bent downward, the required length is longer, and the material is further wasted.